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Important Notice Concerning DACA

DACA May 2018 Update4/30/2018

DACA

Recent government announcements and court cases on DACA have created confusion around who can apply, when they can apply, and how they can apply for DACA. To mitigate this confusion, here is an informational FAQ for your reference.

Please note that DACA lawsuits are still pending in the courts, and information is changing. Although in April 2018 a federal judge opened the possibility of USCIS accepting DACA initial requests, it is not yet official. As of May 2018, only DACA renewals are being accepted by USCIS (from anyone who ever had an approved DACA request).

Institutional Aid

Institutional aid for undocumented students at CT State Colleges and Universities has finally passed! The House voted 91-59 to pass our bill. The effective date of the law is Jan. 2020,except for military veterans who could receive the benefit upon passage by both chambers, institutional aid will be open to undocumented students that meet similar requirements to the current in-state tuition requirements!

Not all undocumented residents will be eligible for the aid. To qualify:

Someone must have moved to the U.S. before they turned 17 years old,

Attended a Connecticut high school for at least two years.

Be under age 36 by June 15.

State residents who are undocumented and have served in the military and are honorably discharged also will be eligible for aid. Those with a felony are not eligible. After the bill is signed into law, eligible undocumented residents will be able to apply for the aid starting January 1, 2020, while honorably discharged veterans will be allowed to apply for aid immediately.

With the passage of this bill, federal Pell grants and state-taxpayer aid provided through the Roberta Willis Scholarship will still be unavailable to these students. The only pool of funding this opens access to is the money the state’s public colleges set aside from tuition dollars students pay to provide need- and merit-based financial aid.

What is DACA?

Norwalk Community College welcomes students from all over Connecticut. On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain undocumented people who came to the United States as children and meet several key requirements (see criteria below) may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. DACA is not a path to permanent residency, and an individual must apply to renew his or her DACA status every two years.

In-State tuition for CT undocumented students

In 2011, the Connecticut General Assembly approved a law which offers undocumented students residing in Connecticut in-state tuition benefits at the state’s public institutions of higher education. The law was then expanded in 2015, reducing the requirement for Connecticut high school attendance from four years to two under HB 6844. To be eligible for in-state tuition at a state institution, students must be a resident of Connecticut, have attended at least two years of high school in Connecticut, and have graduated (or received the equivalent of a high school diploma) from a Connecticut high school. The Admissions office may contact you regarding your application.

Application process for undocumented students

The application process does not vary based upon citizenship and/or immigration status. All applicants must submit an NCC application, official transcripts, and ACT/SAT test scores. Any applicant, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, whose native language is not English In most cases, will be required to take the ESL placement assessment. While many applications ask for a Social Security Number (SSN), there is no legal obligation on the part of colleges to require students to provide it.

Scholarship Do's and Don'ts

Check eligibility requirements for the scholarships you are interested in applying for.

If an application asks for your Social Security number and you do not have one yet, leave that space blank.

Contact the scholarship provider for application details and deadlines.

Provide accurate information. Providing false information or providing a false Social Security number is a Federal offense.

Scholarship scams exist. Do not pay any fees to apply for scholarships

Obtaining state licenses/certifications

Professions that require state licensing or certification require background checks, a social security number and state examinations. If you are undocumented, it may be difficult to pursue any type of state licensing or certification. Some of the professions that require a state license or certificate are in health care, education, and government.

Department of counseling

The Department of Counseling provides an array of student services and guidance to help students achieve their dreams. Our dedicated professional counseling staff is here to help you clarify and achieve your academic, educational and personal goals. To schedule an appointment with a counselor please stop by our office: